Current:Home > ContactDefense bill's passage threatened by abortion amendment, limits on Ukraine funding -Pinnacle Profit Strategies
Defense bill's passage threatened by abortion amendment, limits on Ukraine funding
View
Date:2025-04-20 01:18:19
Washington — The House adopted a controversial amendment to the annual National Defense Authorization Act that would ban the Pentagon from covering travel expenses for service members seeking abortions, potentially dooming the bill's passage.
House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark told CBS News earlier Thursday that Democrats would "oppose the bill" if it contains the amendment on the abortion policy. Republicans can only afford to lose four votes without Democratic help.
In the Senate, GOP Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville has been blocking military nominations and promotions over the military abortion policy, which covers certain abortion-related travel expenses for service members based in states with restrictive reproductive healthcare laws. Tuberville is exercising the hold until the Pentagon or new legislation changes the policy.
Clark said Democrats would also "fight" on the floor against other "culture war" amendments to the defense bill. They include cutting diversity, equity and inclusion offices and prohibiting the use of federal funding for diversity, equity and inclusion training.
There are also Republicans who want to add language prohibiting the sale or transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine and cutting Ukraine funding by $300 million. The vote on the Ukraine funding amendment easily failed.
The top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, Washington Rep. Adam Smith, told CBS News on Tuesday that Republican leadership would likely need Democratic votes to pass the defense bill, because he expected a "chunk" of Republicans to oppose it over funding for Ukraine.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has accused Republicans of jeopardizing its passage.
"It's outrageous that this is what Republicans are doing," Jeffries said. "With the defense bill, it should be about our national security."
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he is hopeful the defense bill will pass by Friday with bipartisan support. McCarthy said he supported the abortion amendment introduced by Republican Rep. Ronny Jackson, even as some moderate members of his party have voiced concern.
Republican Rep. Nick LaLota, a member of the Armed Services Committee, said the amendments should be separate from the defense bill.
"Congress must pass the NDAA," LaLota tweeted Thursday. "The amendments which would cause the NDAA to fail put our military's lethality at risk and should be debated outside of the NDAA. We cannot play games with our soldiers' lives, pay, or military readiness."
Only two Republicans voted against including Jackson's abortion amendment in the final bill.
Scott MacFarlane and Nikole Killion contributed reporting.
- In:
- Abortion
- United States House of Representatives
- Defense Department
Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital. Reach her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hausofcait
TwitterveryGood! (2333)
Related
- NHL in ASL returns, delivering American Sign Language analysis for Deaf community at Winter Classic
- Matt Grevers, 39, in pool for good time after coming out of retirement for Olympic trials
- Willie Mays sends statement to Birmingham. Read what he wrote
- Another world record falls at Olympic trials. Regan Smith sets mark in 100 back
- A Mississippi company is sentenced for mislabeling cheap seafood as premium local fish
- Republicans block bill to outlaw bump stocks for rifles after Supreme Court lifts Trump-era ban
- U.S. halts avocado and mango inspections in a Mexican state after 2 USDA employees attacked, detained
- Syracuse house collapse injures 13; investigation ongoing
- 'Malcolm in the Middle’ to return with new episodes featuring Frankie Muniz
- Ariana Grande Addresses Fans' Shock Over Her Voice Change
Ranking
- Travis Hunter, the 2
- Fire destroys Chicago warehouse and injures 2 firefighters
- This $8.98 Lip Gloss Gives My Pout Next Level-Shine and a Reason to Ditch Expensive Alternatives
- ‘Fancy Dance’ with Lily Gladstone balances heartbreak, humor in story of a missing Indigenous woman
- Behind on your annual reading goal? Books under 200 pages to read before 2024 ends
- FEMA urged to add extreme heat, wildfire smoke to list of disasters
- Jessica Biel Steps Out in New York After Justin Timberlake's Arrest
- Los Angeles Sparks rookie Cameron Brink carried off court with knee injury vs. Sun
Recommendation
$73.5M beach replenishment project starts in January at Jersey Shore
Tropical Storm Alberto forms in southwest Gulf, 1st named storm of the hurricane season
Paris 2024 Summer Olympics could break heat records. Will it put athletes at risk?
Russian court sentences US soldier to nearly 4 years on theft charges
Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
U.S. halts avocado and mango inspections in a Mexican state after 2 USDA employees attacked, detained
10 injured, including children, after house collapsed in Syracuse, New York, officials say
Authorities seeking Alabama man wanted in connection with multiple homicides